


Turning Back

by cloud_reun



Series: HwangCloud Storage [3]
Category: HOTSHOT (Band), NU'EST, Produce 101 (TV), Wanna One (Band)
Genre: Angst, Concubine!Ha Sungwoon, Emperor!Hwang Minhyun, Historical Alternate Universe, M/M, Sageuk AU, Sageuk Alternate Universe, hwangcloud
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-08
Updated: 2017-08-08
Packaged: 2018-12-12 18:09:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11742390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cloud_reun/pseuds/cloud_reun
Summary: Sitting on the throne of concubine is no longer an accolade, it seems fake and agonizing just the thoughts of those eyes staring at him bare and stripping him off the guilts."You were threatened. It's not your fault.""They could just make you as their threat. And I don't want to lose you."





	Turning Back

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this in two hours, that's a record lol
> 
> the tons of hwangcloud moments yesterday are probably what makes me in the mood to write this long and didn't I say I'm gonna write emperor!hwang and concubine!cloud?
> 
> Here we go, enjoy:)

word count; 1,518

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

The emperor has nothing but trust in him. Sungwoon fails to protect that trust—and love. Harboring trust for your concubine is one thing, but things went downhill when the Emperor harboring feelings for him when their marriage was should be a political marriage. 

 

He feels extremely stupid, things are too complicated and he regrets his bad personality for being fearful of death. The love itself is fearful to him. He doesn't deserve it.

 

Love of the two of them are tragedy. He remembers how the Queen came to him, slapped his face. Calling him ungrateful is something what he deserves. His butler keeps saying it's not his fault. Even the emperor put the incident on rest. _"You were threatened. It's not your fault."_

 

Since then he can never look at the Lord emperor in the eyes. As if he can see list of sins he commited when he stares at that dark orbs of the child of sanctuary. 

 

Visits of the King every week is never a joyful ocassion after it pretty much tarnishes down his confident. Sungwoon hates showing off his face in front of the Lord. Yet he has no choices but to compile all the orders and steps into the room every time the Emperor comes for a quick look.

 

Sitting on the throne of concubine is no longer an accolade, it seems fake and agonizing just the thoughts of those eyes staring at him bare and stripping him off the guilts.

 

As if the emperor has no clue nor care about the other party, Hwang Minhyun—acts indifferently, putting himself just like how an Emperor should have. A part of him keeps telling him he doesn't deserve the throne, but sitting on the front line of successor makes him has no choice but to compile.

 

The Queen is also part of the play. He never loves her, it's all an act to favor one side and pleases his father. That doesn't mean he never tries to dish his own will on the table. Sungwoon is one and keeping him by his side is two. Half of the ministers are against his preference. It gets worse as things got messy.

 

Heart clenched quietly, trying not to show off the obvious aching when he watched Sungwoon cried alone in his room beating himself up for all the incidents. It was inevitable, he told the latter that, but he can never takes in the Emperor's word.

 

Minhyun looks at the concubine. They never stands on the same eye level, but now he asks for it. Sungwoon keeps avoiding his gaze, he knows. It's just the two of them in the room. The Emperor dismisses all the guards around of the room.

 

His Empress might complains about his visit tomorrow, but he gives no abundant care about it. She is in no place to say anything about any of his concubines.

 

The latter is sitting there silently, probably fiddling with his fingers under those cloth covering his whole palm. His nape sweats, though the weather is colder in the past few weeks.

 

He takes off his red robe. "Ha Sungwoon." He calls, it still feels weird thinking the latter is a year older than him yet he is placed on higher status. The concubine looks up with a slightly surprised look. For the first time their eyes meet. It has been so long and he misses that tender and loving look from the latter. Now all what he can see is the fear, as if they're starting over from zero.

 

No, Sungwoon never gives him the look even when the first time they met. He is strong and man full of confidence even when the Lord Emperor paid him a visit. He is graceful and mesmerizing what makes the old him falls for the lad.

 

Long strong arms reaching for the concubine and grip on his waist. "I said, _come here_." The latter nods and moves closer. They're still on the distant of formality. Scratch that, he hates acting like an emperor. His loses his composure and pulls Ha Sungwoon closer.

 

"I ask you come close to me, but why do you act like you can never be this close with me?" 

 

His pupils are shaking, Minhyun can see that, _it aches him_. Their face are only an inch close. Their nose barely touching and a good distant to stare at that beautiful brown orbs. Sungwoon is obviously thinner and paler than before, his cheeks are dusted in pink from the temperature change.

 

Sungwoon takes in a deep breath, thrilled as the Emperor's hot breath ghosts against his lips. His heart beats undeniably fast leaving him no space to think. It sounds probably a little bit too loud, he can hear it rings against his auditory ossicles. His lips gaped and shot of oxygen chokes his throat as the taller male pulls them closer.

 

Lips touching softly, instinctively closes his eyes and lets the moment engulfs his sanity. His muscles relaxing, the taller places his palm on his pelvis and the other hand takes off his yellow bone with a silver lining robe. 

 

That plum red lips is what inside his head. Thrilling his own nerves with the thought of holding down the concubine, enthralled. He is definitely not a man with zero experience, but embracing the latter like this is his first time. Trying as hard as he can to surpress that jolts of hormones inside his system. It feels like he is 17 again.

 

The kiss doesn't stop. The taste of mint leaves the latter chew on hours ago and the amusing scent of perfume smeared on the emperor for the annual celebration today blows their sanity away. To Minhyun, Ha Sungwoon is the most enchanting and an addicting flavor to him. 

 

Naturally, The concubine drowns into the atmosphere and lets the taller takes over. He encircles his arms on the other's neck and deepens the kiss. It's a brief of sparks at the back of his head. Excited, he is, but part of him is not sure if he is doing the right thing.

 

Minhyun smiles as he keeps taking every breath the older lets go. It's like recalling his definite memory and mapping every part he loves about the latter. He throws away the status and worries of the country. An Emperor also needs time to console himself. 

 

"Stop trying to avoid me."

 

"I do not."

 

"And I told you not to speak formally when it's just the two of us."

 

"Uh, right. Sorry."

 

He smiles, feeling content when Sungwoon speaks like his usual self. "Cute."

 

The Emperor notices the wary look from the other male. They're just sitting down, next to each other, facing the garden and watches the water fountain to kill the time. "You know I'll always protect you right?"

 

"I know. But what if it happens again? I don't know where to put myself, if they're coming for me again."

 

He sighs, holds the latter's hand. The concubine's palm is cold, unlike his. They look at each other and Minhyun can feel his heart torn away just by the sight of how fearful the latter is. He vows to himself he will protect Ha Sungwoon with all his life, but why did he fail to do that?

 

Letting the love of his life feeling insecure and restless, is his biggest failure. Not as the King but as a husband. 

 

Minhyun cups the latter's cheeks. He has been so loving on Sungwoon that it brings jealousy to the Queen. Not that he cares about her. He smiles, bringing a smile to the latter too. Peppering his face with butterfly kisses, Sungwoon giggles.

 

"Then don't hide things from me. I trust you, so you should trust me too."

 

Tears glistening his eyes, Sungwoon almost chokes when he hears that from the Emperor. Wondering to himself if he deserves this treatment. What in the world he ever did in the previous life for him to receive this much?

 

As if being a concubine is not enough—(though his existence is a huge controversial to the whole palace, he went through a lot of things for his status)—Hwang Minhyun chooses to devote himself to a mere concubine rather than the Empress. Probably why the Queen disapproves him so much.

 

Sungwoon counts on how many times did he fail to protect his family. He thought being a concubine will bring more bliss to his loved ones. "I failed to protect my family. Now I have no one left. They will have more reason to come for me and kill me if I don't follow them."

 

It's like a slap to the King. Sungwoon didn't fail to protect his family, it was the King who failed to protect his people no matter what their status is. "No, you still have me. You're my concubine and they should know the price for trying to hurt you."

 

Sungwoon smiles, bitterly, at the King. "It sounds a lot more horrifying to me."

 

"..."

 

"They could just make you as their threat. And I don't want to lose you."

 

**Author's Note:**

> if you're looking for a fellow hwangcloud shipper, you can talk to me on twitter: @cloudreun hehe♡


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